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Hunter Bags Giant Elk in Colorado OTC Area

By Brodie SwisherSeptember 24, 2021

There are too many elk hunters on public land in Colorado.

The OTC (over the counter) opportunities in Colorado are a thing of the past. 

You hear these statements every year from disgruntled elk hunters across the country as they sing the blues about their misfortune on the mountain. However, the OTC elk hunt on public land can still be done successfully. Yes, you may encounter more hunters than elk, but if you put in the right planning and legwork, you just might pull off the hunt of a lifetime. 

Below is the story of how Robert Shubuck did just that. He shares the story of how he pulled off a solo elk hunt on public land with an OTC tag. 

Being an East coast guy, I feel that there are many barriers that prevent people from going out west and fulfilling their dreams. My biggest barrier was myself. I made excuse after excuse why I couldn’t go. Money was the biggest excuse, however, it’s honestly the easiest to overcome.  I simply put $75 in a separate savings account every payday, The amount typically comes to $1,950. More than enough if you want it bad enough. You don’t need hotels or a guide. Just the will and ability to adapt. I slept in the back of my vehicle just so I could stay mobile.

This was my 3rd trip out west to chase elk. Like the first two trips, this was DIY OTC public land elk hunting at its finest. Sadly, I didn’t have a partner this year to split cost, or more importantly, to share this experience with. So this year, I set out to do the hunt completely solo.

Hunter Bags Giant Elk In Colorado Otc Area
Headed west with high hopes of bugling bulls.

I left for Colorado at 3am on Sept 5th and arrived in Colorado the following morning. I bought my OTC elk tag and went straight back to the mountain where I killed my bull in 2019. It didn’t take too long to hike to the thick timber, north facing mountain that featured several flat benches. I ran into a bunch of old sign from previous years, but nothing super fresh. I did bump into a spike bull, but the unit I was in does not allow the taking of a spike.

I ran into some other hunters later in the day that confirmed much of what I was finding. No bugling and old sign. I packed my stuff and left that unit for another unit that I had yet to hunt in the past.

It was late by the time I arrived, so I pulled some stuff out of my vehicle so I could just sleep in the back. My plan was to hunt the edge of a burn over the next few days. The following morning, I ended up driving around the entire unit until I found a one-lane jeep trail. I had no idea how bad the road was until I got part way up it, and there was no turning around.

The drainage on my left was what I wanted to hunt. I got to a wide spot in the road and realized I couldn’t get any further. I parked the car to review the area on my onX map. With the windows down and the vehicle off, I heard a bugle sound off. I quickly jumped from the car to confirm whether I was hearing a live bull or another hunter.  When I heard it again, I knew I was hearing a real bull. I grabbed my gear and took off for the top of the drainage.

Hunter Bags Giant Elk In Colorado Otc Area
After hearing a bull bugling while I checked my maps, I loaded up and headed into the timber.

When I got to the top, I setup and did some cow calls. He immediately responded, as well as another bull farther down the drainage. I moved higher to keep thermals in my favor and moved up the side of the drainage he was on. When some time passed without hearing anything, I decided I would follow the burn edge down to where I thought he might be.

Around 5pm, I heard him bugle. Realizing how quiet walking in the ash was, I used the burn to cut the distance. After covering some distance, I spotted a cow bedded down in the timber. I dropped to my knees, took my pack off,  and kept inching forward to get to the herd.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I started seeing all the cows. I could hear them calling back and forth, and the bull just kept getting fired up. The whole herd was moving in my direction. I was shaking so bad my arrow was making all kinds of noise on my rest. 

Hunter Bags Giant Elk In Colorado Otc Area
Shubuck found himself in just the right place as the elk herd began to move through the timber.

As the herd moved closer, I ranged the bull at 37 yards, but he was on the move. I tried stopping him, but he kept on walking. I was confident I could make the shot, and I sent arrow. Unfortunately, the arrow blew right over his back. He ran to my right into another opening that I had ranged earlier at 60 yards. I drew down on him and executed what felt like a perfect shot. The bull heard my bow go off, however, and when he reacted to the  shot, my arrow hit high and back.

The bull ran a little ways and then stopped to look back. He then walked off with his cows.  When I recovered my arrow, it smelled like guts. Words cannot explain how disappointed I was in myself. I decided to leave the bull overnight and begin tracking the following morning.

There was no blood when I began looking the following morning. I simply followed the tracks from the herd. It took some time, but I continued to follow the tracks in the ash and dirt. Amazingly, 900 yards into the track job, I found my bull. I nearly cried I was so happy! Elk have a way of getting to me emotionally.

Hunter Bags Giant Elk In Colorado Otc Area
My OTC DIY Colorado delivered the bull of my dreams.

I quickly shot some photos, but knew I needed to get to work on breaking down the bull. It was hot and the meat needed to get cooled down. I got him quartered and in game bags in about 2 hours, however, it would take the next 24 hours to get the meat and head off the mountain. The downside of hunting solo is there is no one around to help with the packing chores. I was committed to getting the meat off the mountain, but deep down inside, I was afraid the meat wasn’t going to make it.

Hunter Bags Giant Elk In Colorado Otc Area
If you want to haul meat off the mountain this year, spend less time walking and more time behind the optics.

Despite the meat smelling like it was spoiled, I took it to the local butcher, hoping I could salvage it. The butcher shop crew felt bad for me, but confirmed what I already knew. There’s nothing that could be done with the meat. Just leaving him lay overnight was enough to ruin most of the meat. 

Losing the meat was devastating. I hunt for meat. I search for antlers to challenge myself and practice good conservation. It was a tough lesson learned and hopefully my story will help others to be better prepared when they find success on the mountain.

Despite the loss of meat, this hunt will go down as one of my best yet. I had completed a solo elk hunt on Colorado’s public land and came out with a notched tag. 

Check out the video from Shubuck’s elk hunt below…

Brodie Swisher
Brodie Swisher is a world champion game caller, outdoor writer, seminar speaker and Editor for Bowhunting.com. Brodie and his family live in the Kentucky Lake area of west Tennessee.
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